Motor-vehicle.



G. FELTY.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLxcATloN ULEB APR. 9,1910.

Patented Dec. 8, 19M.

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/ @@Zffgyzzgy APPLICATION FILED APR. 9,1910.

G. FELTY.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

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MUTR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION NLRB AYR.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

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GODFREY FELTY, 0F CUMBERLAND, MARYLAND.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

Application tiled April 9, 1910.

To all whom it mag/.concern Be it known that I, Gournay FnL'rY, a. citizen of the United States, residing in Cumberland, in the county of Allegany, in the State of Maryland, have invented a` new and Improved Motor-Vehicle, of which the following is a full and exact description.

Thepresent invention relates to 'motor vehicles in the class mentioned, the object being to pro\ide a vehicle with a plurality of pairs of driving wheels journaled on solid axles to insure durability and positive driving efliciency.

Another object is to provide a vehicle of this class, whereby the power source and the drivers seat may be arranged in the body, so as to be carried on the front truck, since the truck is provided with both driving and steering means to admit of correct loading and other utility advantages.

A further object is to provide the vehicle with a novel steering arrangement, whereby the said driving and steering truck is readily responsive to the turning of a steering post, located on the extreme forward end of the body in advance of the drivers seat, and out ot' alinement of the universal jointed connecting parts between body and truck.

Another object is to arrange the universal jointed connection between body and truck by means ot` a revolubtT and pivotally connected bolster, which is adapted to endure hard knocks and the like. admit the truck to tilt or oscillate about a horizontal axis and turn about a vertical axis to adjust with uneven road surface and the connections of the steering gears.

A still further object is to provide the said front truck ith connecting means to automatically turn the rear truck in opposite directions, thereby enabling the vehicle to turn in comparatively small ace without additional hardship to turn the steering post..

With the foregoing objects, together with a view of durability and simplicity of construction and other features, the invention consists of the novel features. detail of construction and combination of parts which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated in the accompanyingdraw` ings and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of the application: Figure 1 is a top plan View kof an eight wheel vehicle, embodying Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914. Serial No. 554,398.

the invention, showing the several wheels and trucks in alinement. Fig. 2 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the trucks being moved to a position to enable the running gear to make a short turn. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line X*X- of Fig. 1 the body being in position. Fig. 4 'is a transverse section on the line -l-4 of Fig. 3, parts being broken away. Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, parts being broken away. Fig. 6 is a detailed view in elevation of the universal joint formed between the rod and arm of the steering mechanism. Fig. 7 is a sectional .view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6, the arm bemg in full. Fig. 8 is a side View of the coupling bar between the front and hind trucks. Fig. 9 is a detailed view of a ste`ering knuckle and adjunctive parts. Fig. 10 1s a side view ing the invention. Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the six wheel vehicle and also illustrates a shorter coupling plan, if desired. Fig. 12 is a side view ot' a tubular king bolt.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description, and indi cated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference character.

The running gear of the vehicle mentioned embodies fore and hind trucks A. and B. respectively, which are connected by means of a coupling bar l and equalizing connections Q', the latter consisting of cables, rods or the like, having a diagonal arrangement and crossing intermediate of their ends, the coupling .bar l is loosely connected at its ends to the frame of the respective trucks and con'iprises upper and lower members which are spaced apart and strengthened by intermediate struts. which have spools pivotally arranged therein to engage or bear against the cables. which pass through the said spaces to take up the slack when in course of turning at a certain angle, as shown most clearly in Fig. 8. Hence, when the trout truck is turned in one direction, the rear truck turns in the opposite direction.

The fore truck comprises ay main frame ii. preferably of rectangular form. a transverse bolster i. drive wheels 5 and steering heels (l. The side bars of the frame 3 have their downwardly toward the end of the frame, to provide clearance for the tilting of the truck about the horizontal axis. About the of a six wheel vehicle, 'embodyupper edges sloping outwardly andcenter of said frame an open space is provided for the bolster, a truss brace, steering and power connecting mechanism to freely operate thereabout and hereinafter more fully described. ,4

The bolster t has projecting ends at its outer lower corners, preferably by means of a metal bar 7; the lower middle or submedial parts of bar 7 being curved upwardly to clear the space in line with the turning and oscillating center of the truck, hence, a common central or universal axis of the truck is provided where the universal joint 20 of the steering arm 19 is permitted to freely move, as most clearly shown in Fig. 4. The projecting ends of bar 7 are mounted in bearings; provided at the lower edges of' the said side bars, said bearings are between the drive wheels 5 and steering wheels 6, and comparatively clos'er to the driving wheels 5, as most clearly shown in all the side view drawings.

The upper and outer corners of bolster et are provided with rollers 8, to engage the lower side of the body 9, to serve as antifriction members.

A king bolt 10, which is by preference tubular, provides an open passage for the power transmitting connections between the power source and the trucks driving mechanism, thereby providing means about the center of thel truck to arrange the said connections adjustingly with the trucks turning and tilting movements. The said king bolt 10 pivotally connects the truc-k with the body of thev vehicle since it passes through the bolster, the reinforcing bar 7 and a truss brace 11, which latter passes beneath the bolster and bar 7, and has its end portions secured to the body of the ve hicle upon opposite sides of the bolster, thereby holding the bolster in erect posi tion to turn relative to the body and the steering arm 19, and remain stationary, rela tive to said steering arm in fore and aft motion.

lhe steering wheels 6 are connected with the front axle 12 by means of steering knuckles in the well known manner, so that the wheels may'be turned in unison. A rod or bar 13 connects the arm ot' the steering knuckles, and one of the steering knuckles is provided with' an arm 14, which is connected by means of a rod or bar 15, with an arm 16, secured to a transverse shaft 17, mounted at its ends in brackets 18, secured to the truck frame said shaft 17 is set at some distance and parallel to said bolster a. ()ppositely disposed from said arm 16, an arm 1U projects centrally from said shaft l'i', in an upward direction, and has a universal joint 20 at its extreme end, which occupies the position cleared by the curvingl upwardly of the metal har 7, and comesin close contact with the lower end of the king Y Y. nl. www

boit 10, which latter is the common center of the trucks oscillating and turning point, which is by preference described as the trucks universal axis. Connected to the said universel joint 2O is a bar 21, which is adapt- Aed to be operated by a steering post 22,

mounted on the extreme forward end of the body 9, and out of line lwith the trucks vertical center. By this means, the steering post may he arranged and held in a steady position relative to the body. The truck may turn, tilt or oscillate in any position the truck may be; the steering wheels are not affected thereby, but held in the desired position, and admit of positive steering when the steering post is turned. The rear `wheels of the said truck are journaled .on

and a. supplemental truck 27. The bolster 25 is connected to a sliding support 28 by means ot' a kingI bolt 29, and is pivotally connected at its ends to the side bars of the frame 24 to admit of the latter tilting or oscillating about a horizontal axis and turning about a vertical axis, in substantially the same manner as the fore truck. A truss brace 30 connects the bolster and iower end of the king bolt Q9 to opposite end portion of the sliding support 28. Rollers 31 are provided upon opposite upper corners of the bolster to bear against the bottom of the body, and to serve as anti-friction members.

The hind truck receives a three-fold movement, namely, a turning movement about the king bolt 29, a tilting or oscillating movement about the horizontal axis, and a fore and aft sliding movement with the supiort 2S which is made necessary in orderl to allow for the relative turning oil the two trucks, pivotally connected on one body.

When the trucks A and B. are in line, as indicated in Fig. 1, their king bolt connections 10 and 29, are separated a maximum distance, but upon turning the trucks the distance between the king bolts 10 and 29 diminishes proportionately to the angle to which the trucks are tui-ned. The king bolt l() occupies a relatively fixed position, hence the king bolt Q9 must move toward and from yso posed arms, one of the arms extending to the Said pivotal connections of the body and the truck, a flexible joint at the end of said arm, a rod enga-ging the said joint and connecting with the steering post, the other arm con-l nected to a rod having engagements with the steering wheels.`

5. In a motor vehicle, a body, a truck embodying two axles, havin supporting wheels journaled thereon, si e bars resiliently mounted on. said axles, said side bars having their upper edges sloping outwardly and downwardly toward their extremities, to provide clearance between said body and truck, a bolster having rotary connection with said side barsand pivotal connections with said body, a truss brace to secure said bolster in erect position, the truck being adapted to turn about a vertical axis and oscillate about a horizontal axis.

6. In a motor vehicle, a body having driving wheels at the rear end, a steering post at the forward end, a truck havin a frame, driving and steering wheels, said rame pivotall connected beneath said bodys forwar end, said connection rearward and out of line with the said steering post, said truck being adapted to turn about a vertical axis and oscillate about a horizontal axis; a universal arrangement about in line with said axis, connecting means between the said universal arrangement and the steering post, and the other connecting means to engage the steering wheels with the' said universal arrangement.

7. In a motor vehicle, a body, fore -and hind trucks, a truss brace connected beneath said body, a king bolt, one end connected to said body, the other end to said truss brace, a bolster journaled on said king bolt between said body and truss. brace, a truck frame rotatably connected to the ends of said bolster, axles supporting said. truck frame, wheels supporting said axles, con necting means between said trucks to cause the one to turn the other 'in opposite directions.

8. In a motor vehicle, a body, fore and hind trucks, one of thc trucks pivctally connected to the body, means pivotally and slidably connecting the other truck to the body, both trucks to turn about a vertical axis and oscillate about a horizontal axis, means to steer one of the trucks, connecting means between the twotrucks to adapt the one truck to cause the other truck to turny simultaneously in opposite directions, and other connecting means to cause the trucks to automatically approach and separate simultaneously with the turning thereof.

9. In a motor vehicle, a body having driving wheels supporting the rear end, a truck having a frame supported on driving and steering wheels, said frame pivotally connected beneath the forward end of said body, a s ing post on said body 1n. ad- Vance of sa 'd pivotal connection, a drivers seat and Source of ower mounted on said body above said pivotal connection, said truck being adapted to turn, tilt or oscillate relative to said body, flexible oonnections between saidsteering post the trucks turning and tilting or oscillating center andsaid steering wheels.

10. In a motor vehicle, a body having driving wheels at thc rear end, a truck hav ing a rame 'comprising side bars mounted on axles, driving and steering wheels jornaled on said axles, driving mechanism for said driving wheels, steering mechanism for said steering wheels, a bolster journaled between said side bars, a king bolt to pivotally connect said bolster beneath the forward end of said body, a truss brace connested to the lower end of said king bolt and lower side of said body, a steering post on said body, located in advance of said bolt, a drivcrs seat and source of power mounted on said body above said kinr bolt, a transverse shaft beneath and parallel with said bolster, an arm extending from said shaft to the common center of said pivotal connection about the hing bolt, and 1n linel with the rotary connection of the bolster with said side bars, a fiexible joint at the end of arm, a rod connecting said joint with the steering post andk other connecting means between said shaft and 'said steering wheels. -V

l1. In a motor vehicle, a body, fore and hind trucks, one of said trucks pivotally the other slidably and pivotally connected to said body, both trucks mounted to turn about a vertical axis and -tilt or oscillate about a horizontal axis, said axis set at Some. distance from the inner ends of the said trucks, equalizing connections between the said trucks, and attached thereto at diagonally opposite corners, a cou ling bar centrally connecting the two truchs and having connections with cach at a distancefrom the axis thereof.y

1Q.. In a motor vehicle, a body, fore and hind trucks, the fore trucks comprising driving and stecringwheels, supporting a frame pivotally connected beneath the forward end of said body, the hind truck comprising a main frame pivotally connected beneath the rear end of said body, driving wheels supporting one end of said main frame, a su 120 plementary frame pivotally connected to t e other end of said main frame, driving wheels supporting said supplementary frame, connecting means between said foretruck and said supplementary frame to cause the liront truck to steer the hind truck.

13. In a motor vehicle comprising zbcdy, fore and hind trucks, comprising a frame embodying side bars, a bolster having ends 'projecting to pivotally connect with "hassle 130 bars its rsubmedial parts curved upwardly to clear the space about the trucks central axis, its upper middle connected with the body by means of 'a kingl bolt to admit of turning with the side members, a truss brace, each end connected to the body, its medial parts engagingl the lower end of 'the king bolt to protect the same, the bolster elerated to provide clearance between the body and the truck. A

14. In a motor vehicle the combination of a body, Aa sliding member under the body, fore and hind trucks, means to pivotally connect one of the trucks to -the body, means 'to pivotally and slidably connect the other truck to the sliding member, connecting means between the trucks embodying a coupling bar having spaced members, antifriction spools therein, cables passing through said spaced members to 4engage the trucks at diagonally`opposite corners, and engage with the said spools to take up the slack when in course of turning tol adapt the-one truck 'to automatically control the other truck. u

15. In a motor vehicle, a. body, a truck comprising a frame/mounted on axles, driving and steering wheels journaled on said axles, a transversebolster'rotatably-mounted on said frame and pivotally connected with said body7 rollers on said bolster serving as antifriction members between said bolster andrbody.

16. A vehicle, a body, forev and hind trucks having -four Wheels,` two axles, a

frame resiliently mounted on said axles, a-

bolster horizontally disposed and rotatably connected to said frame; one of said trucks pivotally connected to said body, by means of a king bolt, a truss brace to hold said bolster erectly, the other truck pivotally and slidably connected to said body; connecting means between the two trucks to cause them to turn simultaneously in opposite directions, andy other connecting means to cause them to automatically approach and separate simultaneously with the turning thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

GODF REY FELTY.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. WINnow, FRANK T. VVooLFoRo. 

